thanks for the healing prayers, my mother died, my I was disinherited from my parents property both moveable and immoveable by my brother, he did not inform me that my mother died due to greed. A month later I was diagnosed with Triple negative breast cancer. I want to fight back but helpless now due to cancer, There is is nobody to prayer for me accidently was pulled to your blog today.

Thank your for sharing this poem - I too enjoyed it. Updike's books are hard and not always to my liking, but a few of his short stories and poems were required reading in a class I once took and he certainly 'hits the nail on the head' with his descriptions.

When the leaves fall, the tree is nourished by what it sheds. When the leaves fall, their true colors are visible, the green of photosynthesis gone. When the leaves fall, the tree has the energy to withstand the cold winds and grow, unseen, from the soil.

Does the tree grieve? No. The tree is telling us how to move forward. Let go, grow stronger.